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NEWSLETTERS

BLOSSMAN CEO COMMENTS ON “BUSY LIVES”

Sixty-two years ago, Woodrow Blossman founded Blossman Gas with a simple philosophy. “Blossman Gas exists for thebenefit of its people, and the continued success of the company depends on rendering superior service to our customers.” While much has changed over the past sixty years, perhaps the biggest change is the busy pace of our lives. Longer work hours, two income households, and organized youth activity programs are just small examples. This often leaves precious little time for leisure activities and attending to basic household needs.

As a result, Blossman Gas is focused on improving the manner in which we serve you and striving to do so more conveniently. We hope this quarterly newsletter will be a small step toward enhancing our communications with you, our customer, while providing information you find helpful.

In addition, to keep up with your busy life, we are implementing multiple methods to better communicate with you, and you with us. Social media,such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and a more interactive website that includes a “Tell the President” section, are all designed to provide you the opportunity to share information that will assist us in rendering superior service.

At Blossman Gas, we do so much more than delivering propane to your home. We sell, install, and service the propane products that make your life more comfortable. We hope you find this newsletter both informative and helpful.

$5 FILL FRIDAYS FITS INTO THE SUCCESS OF APP STATE TAILGATE MARKET

Appalachian State University in Boone, NC has been named one of the top 15 universities in the South for college-football tailgating by the popular publication Southern Living Magazine. Blossman’s Vilas branch, located one mile away from Appalachian State, in Boone, is taking advantage of the high tailgate season with its “$5 Dollar Fill Fridays.”

Store Manager Johnny Miller notes, ”We never had a lot of walk-in traffic, but through word of mouth, and our signs, the cylinder fill has become extremely popular in the two years since we started the program.”

The Boone area is known for hosting college and high school sports, as well as for tailgating, and the Blossman branch is a popular cylinder fill stop-off for people who travel in from Avery, Ashe, Watauga counties and Johnson City, TN.

Appalachian State is one of only two schools from a non-”Power 5” conference to earn the recognition from Southern Living as one of the top 15 universities in the South for tailgating, and the only institution from the state of North Carolina. “Everyone in North Carolina is proud of App State’s accomplishments and we’re happy that Johnny and the team in Boone help to fire up many of those tailgate grills,” adds Scott Prewitt, Regional VP.

The Boone branch also works to serve the needs of people in the community by looking for products that use propane, and is successful in seeking the business of the small user. “We get a lot of interest in gas dryers and stoves that we can easily service, even in all electric neighborhoods,” adds Miller. “Our top salesproduct at the moment is Rinnai tankless waterheaters. Folks here are going green, because they wish to conserve energy and reduce costs. I get more calls regarding Rinnai water heaters than anything we do.”

Another trend that Boone is a part of is lawn mower engine conversion -- ranking #8 in Mower Conversion Centers for Blossman Gas. “We did a presentation at the Watauga Agricultural Center last year on the environmental benefits and reduced fuel costs, and I haven’t been able to keep up with the inquiries,” says Miller. “One thing we promise our landscapers is that we will deliver the gas directly to them so they do not need to seek a way to refill.

App State is featured in the September issue of Southern Living, which is now on the newsstands, and is one of 15 schools nominated as finalists for the title of “The South’s Best Tailgate.” Southern Living chose the 15 universities based on the following criteria: most spirited, traditionalists (schools renowned for game-day rituals), powerhouses (Southern schools with a history of winning on and off the field), and style-setters.”

BLOSSMAN SMALL ENGINE CONVERSIONS FINDS ITS STRIDE WITH CREATION AND CONVERSION OF MOWERS

Manufacturers of lawn care equipment are expanding the range of their propane-powered product offerings to meet the growing demand for cleaner lawn-care alternatives, and Blossman Gas is leading the way. The conversion of mowers to propane has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce costs, and prolong the life of the mower’s engine.

Major small-engine manufacturers such as Briggs and Stratton, Kohler and Kawasaki, understand the benefits of clean-burning propane and are offering propane warranties with their products. Blossman’s pilot programs with universities and small businesses in the Southeast demonstrate the benefits, both economic and environmental, for this rapidly growing market.

- Commercial lawn care providers can save more than a dollar per gallon versus the price of gasoline

Landscape contractors who bought a propane-fueled mower in 2012 reported a fuel cost savings of nearly 39 percent compared to those who used gasoline and 60 percent compared to diesel, according to a new study from the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC). According to PERC, contractors were “very satisfied” with propane-fueled mowers. Ninety percent of the contractors who participated in the study say they were likely to choose a propane mower again. All participants indicated they would recommend propane mowers to others.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? BLOSSMAN BRINGS YOU TAILGATING TIPS

Shhh… If you listen closely, you can almost hear it. The distant sound of drums and trumpets, the crash of helmets and pads, and of course, the echoing play-by-play commentary pumped over a large PA system or your car radio.

It's football season, and time for dedicated fans to show their team spirit — through age-old cheers, applications of body paint, and pregame celebrations in stadium parking lots. Want to take your grilling on the road? T he thought of throwing a tailgate might seem simple enough --- move your patio cookout to the local sports complex, and POOF! You've got a tailgate! While the classic tailgate party bears some resemblance to other outdoor eating experiences, stadium-side feasts have their own set of rules — what to eat, where to set up, and how to deal with challenges specific to game-day dining. To coach you to pregame victory, Blossman Gas has put together a play-by-play Tips to Tailgating as well as a few of our classic Blossman Family BBQ recipes that will be a hit at your next tailgate party.

BLOSSMAN TAILGATING TIPS

Plan Ahead and Prep in Advance.To avoid last minute scrambling or forgetting essentials, make a checklist of all the food, drink, and equipment you plan to bring. Do as much prep work as possible the night before. For example, if you plan to make omelets for breakfast, break and mix the eggs, add the herbs and whatever else is going in, pour them into a jar, and then all you need to do is pour them into the hot pan with butter. For your grilling: chop, season, marinate, and stow in the fridge the night before so you have more time to throw the football around.

Know the Rules.Most stadiums have strict guidelines regarding when, where, and how people can tailgate. Save yourself some serious hassle by checking your athletic department or stadium website for tailgating rules and guidelines.

Meet the Neighbors.If it's your first season on the tailgate circuit, be respectful of established "party lines." At many campuses and stadiums, tribes of tailgaters have been setting up in the same place for decades.Once you find these loyal fans, be sure to check out their setup — they're experts, and you're bound to learn something.

Be Smart and Only Cook with Propane.Cooking with a propane grill will dramatically cut down the start-up time by lighting easily in a two-step process. You are ready for cooking in 5 minutes not 20 to 30 minutes like charcoal. Propane gas offers precise temperature control for those favorite recipes and costs about half to one-third as much to fuel as a charcoal grill. You won’t have to hassle with charcoal bags or lighter fluid, and a huge plus is that propane grilling on average produces three-times less greenhouse gases than charcoal grilling. Join the “We Love Blossman Propane for Grilling Club” and spread the word to your friends.

Check Your Equipment the Night Before and Pack Spares.Check the weight of the propane tank. Nothing is worse than trying to find someone with a spare propane canister at the tailgate when everyone else is using their own. Often, tailgating involves pulling into an overcrowded parking lot with no chance to leave and come back so pack an extra propane cylinder and set of tongs.

Keep an Eye on the Clock.Since your party start time is tied to kickoff, coordination is everything. If you've got a noon game, you'll need to get a REALLY early start. If your team plays at night, you can sleep in. Either way, you don't want to miss out on any of the good pregame dining or schmoozing. To figure out just how early to get to the stadium, make a list of all your pregame tasks and how long each takes, then work backward from kickoff time.

You’ve got the tips. Ask your branch for the $10.99 grill fill up. Now, are you ready for some football?

BLOSSMAN'S CUSTOM PAYMENT PLAN

The Blossman Custom Payment Plan is the easiest and most economical way to budget your propane energy costs! Formerly known as the Blossman Budget Plan, the Custom Payment Plan gives you the opportunity to receive year-round, easy to manage payments, a guaranteed monthly maximum cost, additional earnings on credit balances, and automatic delivery service.

The Custom Payment Plan is designed to keep you and your family comfortable all year long with hassle-free gas service. We take care of everything. You’ll enjoy equal monthly payments free of interest charges and surprises, and the peace of mind that comes with our Never-out Guarantee.

Hassle-free Planning: To provide equal monthly payments, Blossman estimates the total amount of propane you’ll use in a year and then spreads it out over 12 months. Every quarter, Blossman compares your actual propane usage to the estimated amount and adjusts your payment if necessary. This minimizes credits or debits at the end of the year. And if payments over an entire year do not work for your budget, we can work with you to customize a plan that fits your needs.

Reliable Delivery: Gas service with Blossman is worry-free. Gas delivery is automatic and your Blossman representative will monitor gas usage and manage your supply. If you ever run out of gas, we’ll give you 75 gallons for free with our Never-out Guarantee.